Dr. Holly Kruse Communication in Organizations Systems Theory Dr. Holly Kruse Communication in Organizations

Systems Theory Focus is on relationships among parts of system, rather than on parts alone (as in classical management theory). Relationships among people make the group a system: whole is greater than sum of its parts.

Cybernetics & Systems Theory Cybernetics: “The science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things” (OED). Cybernetic approaches see organizational structure coming out of the patterns of communication within an organization.

Systems in Organizations Katz & Khan (1966), The Social Psychology of Organizations. Argued that organizations are fundamentally open systems that require constant flow of information to and from their environment.

What is a System? System: a complex set of relationships among interdependent parts or components. Study of systems in organizations concerned with nature of parts of system and their relationships.

Interdependence Interdependence is an essential quality of systems. Interdependent relationships among people in organizations is established and maintained through communication.

Open Systems Organizations are open systems. Do not exist in isolation. Unlike closed systems (e.g. watch, cell phone, automobile piston). Are part of turbulent environments. Must work with environment to succeed.

Open Systems Is this an example of a closed or open system (or systems)? Video

Open Systems

Feedback Feedback: system of loops that connects communication & action. Negative or deviation-counteracting: re-establishes original goals. Positive or deviation-amplifying: finds new avenues of growth.

Feedback

Contingency Theory Goals can be reached in many ways (“equifinality”) Diverse environments and changes/problems need unique solutions, so… There’s no one best way to organize All ways of organizing aren’t equally effective.

Appeal of Systems Theory Appeals to organizational communication scholars because of focus on communication processes. Captures complexity of organizational processes.

Problems with Systems Theory Hard to research. Hard to come up with research design that captures complexity of human organizing and all its systems. Hard to apply in a practical way. Remains an abstract set of concepts.

Building on Systems Theory Peter Senge and “Learning Organizations”: Learning organizations understand how they function as systems; organizations with learning disabilities don’t. See book and video.

Building on Systems Theory Karl Weick and “Sense-making” (or “organizational information theory”): Organizing is about reducing uncertainty (“equivocality”) in information processing. Organizations are created in daily interaction.

Sense-Making & Interaction Act: a statement or question. Interact: act followed by response Double interact: act, response, and adjustment or other follow-up by person who originated act. All organizing activities are double interacts.

Sense-Making & Organizing Elements of organizing: Enactment Selection Retention (Choice/Change – not in original model) These happen throughout process

Sense-Making & Organizing

Sense-Making & Organizing In process, members use routines, rules to reduce uncertainty. Sense-making is retrospective: people act first then later examine actions to explain their meaning. “Loose coupling” and “theory of partial inclusion”: illustrate difference from classical management theory.